Smooth transition slated for organic grapes

No gap nor glut is expected as supplies of organic table grapes shift in July from the spring production regions of California and Mexico to the summer crops in the Golden State’s San Joaquin Valley. 

John Harley, vice president of sales for Anthony Vineyards, which is based in Bakersfield, California, and perhaps the state’s largest organic grape grower shipper, expects the company’s San Joaquin Valley harvest to begin several days prior to the end of the Coachella Valley deal in the California desert. 

John Harley, Vice President of Sales, Anthony Vineyards

“We are on our last four varieties in the desert, both organic and conventional,” he said in late June. “We expect to go until July 12 in Coachella, with several green varieties including Autumn Crisp, Sweet Globe and Valley Pearls. And it looks like we will start in Arvin (southern San Joaquin Valley) on July 5 or 6, with our first organic variety being Flame Seedless.” 

He noted that Sugraone will be Anthony Vineyards’ first SJV green organic variety with harvesting beginning between July 12 and 15. Harley, a longtime veteran of the California grape deal, noted that Anthony’s earliest vineyards in Arvin are typically the first to produce a marketable summer crop each season because of their location. “Industrywide, we expect the San Joaquin Valley to get going around July 15.” 

Harley said it has been a very good spring deal with supply and demand in sync through May and June resulting in steady FOB pricing and a plethora of spring grape promotions at retail. “We’ve had good quality and good demand and it doesn’t appear that there will be much carryover from Mexico,” he said. 

Mexico is the top spring producer sending around 20 million cartons to market during its season, which only runs a couple of months. Harley said a strong start to California’s summer deal usually forecasts a good season. “Knock on wood, but we expect good volume throughout the summer and a good market well into August, September and the fall,” he said, noting that this year’s crop seems to be of average size, which bodes well for ongoing demand. 

He added that like all of the table grape production areas, the San Joaquin Valley continues to transition from the older varieties to the newer, sweeter, high-yielding proprietary varieties developed by private breeders over the last two decades. These varieties are preferred by consumers, produce very good yields for growers, and there appears to be a full slate of the new varieties grown with certified organic growing practices. 

In Sonora, Mexico, grower-shippers are also approaching the end of their season, though Divine Flavor, the leader in organic production from Mexico, has vineyards that will continue well into July. Grupo Alta, the parent company of Divine Flavor, began organic production in the south of Sonora in the region of Guaymas the first week of May. It continued with several additional districts in the state, including Caborca, which is the latest producing district. 

Carlos Bon, Vice President, Divine Flavor

Divine Flavor Vice President Carlos Bon revealed that within Caborca, Grupo Alta has the last vineyards to harvest grapes since the ranch is geographically positioned to be less affected by the warm Sonoran summer heat and the rains from the monsoon season. “This vineyard, historically, has less rain when the monsoon season begins since it is located closer to the sea,” he said. “Grapes from this farm harvest only the best proprietary and specialty varieties such as organic Sweet Globe, Sweet Celebration and Cotton Candy.”  

He added that these varieties are strategically grown because they are later-season varieties. “It is at a time when Mexico starts wrapping up production and California starts, so it’s important to have great quality, high-flavored grapes on the market as the early varieties from California arrive,” he said. 

“Knock on wood, but we expect good volume throughout the summer and a good market well into August, September and the fall." - John Harley

Bon predicted that Divine Flavor will be offering its organic grapes from Caborca until about July 25, which is about the time California will be hitting its stride.  

“In 2023, the company grew and shipped around 1.7 million boxes of organic grapes and this year, the end-of-the-year totals seem to be on par or slightly more,” he said on June 24, noting that organic greens accounted for about 60% of the overall production.   

Bon added that Flame Seedless is still the most grown and exported organic red grape, which accounts for about 20% of production out of Mexico. “However, with newer, earlier, and sweeter varieties on the horizon, exports of red seedless will start changing in the upcoming seasons,” he said. “Varieties such as Karizma (IFG Forty-Seven) and Ruby Rush (Sugra53) are two newer red varieties that are showing promising potential for the future.” 

Divine Flavor also announced that for the first time it will represent production of both organic and conventional table grapes from California under its label. The Nogales-based grower-shipper has partnered with Niabell Farms in Bakersfield, CA, and will start harvesting California fruit around the middle of July, with peaks in late August and early September.  

The company’s California production will bridge the gap until its programs in South America start later in the year. Bon noted the expansion into California gives Divine Flavor a year-round supply of premium table grapes, as well as offering organic table grapes beyond the Sonora season.